Video Clip

This is a clip from Dr. Seuss' The Sneetches.  If you don't know the story, it is about a group of creatures called Sneetches.  Some of them thought they were better than some of the others so they tried to change their physical appearance so you could tell who belonged to what group.  However, in the end they learned that everyone is equal and they should all just get along.

Each Student is an Individual

The most important thing I have learned is that each student is an individual.  Each student has the potential to succeed.  As a teacher I want to make a difference in the life of each student.

Social Issues

There are many social issues that affect education.  A child needs to feel safe to learn.  Teachers need to be aware of the student's home life.  Many children spend time being bounced from parent to parent, thus no one adult is accountable for helping with homework.  Some children live in poverty.  If they are hungry, it will affect their ability to learn.  Helping children understand that everyone has different circumstances and teaching them to have empathy will help impact their attitudes when they become adults.

Responsive Teaching

To meet the needs of a diverse population, teachers need to recognize and address the needs of all of their students.  The best way to do this is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each student.  Highlight their strengths so they can gain confidence and recognize how to use those strengths.  Weaknesses must also be recognized and acknowledged but only as a way to see where improvement is needed, not as a labeling tool. Education becomes equitable when the needs of all the students are being met.  Allowing all the students to participate and share their views and beliefs will help to create a diverse climate in the classroom.  It will teach them to recognize that others may have different opinions and beliefs and that is okay – not everyone is, or should be, the same.  Recognizing cultural differences does not mean attaching labels.  Two students could come from the same country, yet still have different family traditions, religious beliefs or just different life experiences that will make learning different for each student.  Educational equity can only be achieved if each student is recognized as an individual.

Multicultural Education

Multicultural education is helping every student achieve their full potential.  The goal of multicultural education is to create change - change in each student's life, change in the classroom and change in society.

Culture

Culture is a group of people that share a common background or belief.  This can be religion, race or simply life experience.